Red Right Ankle
by Heartsong's Fanfictions
Summary: A simple songfic about JayxCinder. I guess the end is abruptly fluffy. But don't you just LOVE this pairing? This is during Dark River, I don't CARE if this wasn't mentioned in the books, because it should be. Song: Red Right Ankle by The Decemberists.


**My very first JayxCinder fic! I am totally obsessed with this pairing, I just didn't have the guts to write one because... well, idk. I was afraid of flames or something xD But they are very extremely welcome in this fic, so read and review away!**

* * *

_ This is the story of your red right ankle  
And how it came to meet your leg  
And how the muscle bone and sinews tangled  
And how the skin was softly shed  
And how it whispered,  
"Oh, adhere to me for we are bound by symmetry  
And whatever differences our lives have been  
We together make a limb"  
This is the story of your red right ankle_

* * *

Jaypaw was sorting herbs in the medicine cats' den - again.

Cinderpaw was laying in her nest, talking to her mother, Sorreltail, her leg swathed in nettle leaves and cobwebs. He could hear her mindless mew and feel hyperactive vibrations rushing from her tail and through the floor of the den, as well as hear her mothers' much calmer purr.

"When do you think I will get out, Sorreltail?" She asked with slight impatience. "Do you think it will be soon?"

"You will get out when you get better," The tortoiseshell replied. "That leg looks quite... tangled, but I'm sure Jaypaw will take good care of you." The gray tom rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn't really have the patience for Cinderpaw; she was just so optimistic and... _happy, _for no absolute reason. Jaypaw couldn't stand it at times. But as long as her leg was broken, he had to take care of her. It was his unwilling duty as a medicine cat. But hey, maybe, even if they're lives were completely different, they could be alike? And she wasn't so weird like the other cats were with his blindness.

* * *

_ This is the story of your gypsy uncle  
You never knew cause he was dead  
And how his face was carved an ripped with wrinkles  
In the picture in your head  
And remember how you found the key  
To his hide-out in the Pyrenees,  
But you wanted to keep his secret safe,  
So you threw the key away?  
This is the story of your gypsy uncle_

* * *

"I'm bored!" Cinderpaw complained. "Sorreltail, tell me a story."

Her mother purred with amusement. "A story? I thought you were too old for those."

"You're never too old for a good story!"

Jaypaw felt Sorreltail's tail flick in submission and heard her soft mew - "Okay, I will tell you a story about the cat you were named after - a cat named Cinderpelt."

Pricking his ears, the gray tom tried to listen into the story. He knew that Cinderpaw was the reincarnation of Cinderpelt, and he wondered if she would recognize the name. The tom read her mind, and all he felt was a deep curiosity and rapidly vanishing boredom.

"Cinderpelt was a great medicine cat. She started out as a warrior apprentice, like you. But one day the evil Tigerstar set a trap for Bluestar, the leader before Firestar, and poor Cinderpelt got trapped in it. Her leg was permanently damaged." Now Jaypaw sensed sympathy emanating from both cats. "Yellowfang, the medicine cat back then, took her in and nursed her back to health. She could still walk, but with a limp. Cinderpelt learned quickly, and soon took her place as medicine cat. I heard, before her mentor died in a fire, that she cured the sickness that was destroying ShadowClan!"

"She continued to be that role for many moons, helping lots of cats, especially along the Great Journey. We settled down in the lake. One moon, during the day you and your siblings were born, badgers attacked the camp." Jaypaw felt Sorreltail stiffen at the memory. "The few scenes of battle that I did see were gruesome, and many cats were injured. My brother, Sootfur, died." She gulped. Cinderpaw let out a murmur of sympathy, but he felt a flicker of curiosity when Sorreltail said that. She must be wondering about what her uncle was like.

"And then one tried to break into the nursery. Cinderpelt tried to fight it off, but her leg stopped her from doing enough damage to force it away. But she kept fighting for me, no matter how many wounds she..." The queen trailed off at this, and Jaypaw felt a pang of sympathy. It must be hard talking about this. "Anyway, soon she was too weak to fight anymore. Right when the badger was lumbering towards me, Leafpool and Crowfeather showed up and scared it off... it was very brave. I probably would not have survived without Cinderpelt, and so I named you after her."

He felt Cinderpaw shift and her mind cloud with wonder. "Thanks for the story, Sorreltail," She purred. "I think I'm going to sleep now." Her mother gave her a quick lick around the ear and left the den.

* * *

_ This is the story of the boys who loved you  
Who love you now and loved you then  
And some were sweet and some were cold and snuffed you  
And some just layed around in bed  
And some, they crumbled you straight to your knees  
Did it cruel, did it tenderly  
Some they crawled their way into your heart  
To rend your ventricles apart_

* * *

"Jaypaw," Cinderpaw whined, "My leg hurts! Can you give me, like, poppy seeds or something?"

Jaypaw sighed and moved toward her. He felt growing excitement in her mind as he took steps toward her. He felt his own - wait, what?

"It's broken," He growled. "Broken legs hurt. And I am NOT giving you poppy seeds. Live with the pain."

He felt her mind waver, felt sadness cloud over, only to be replaced by determination. "But it hurts more than usual," She mewed quietly.

"Do I look like I care?" Jaypaw meowed impatiently, feeling a bit guilty about her creeping disappointment. "I'm only here to heal you, nothing more." He whisked around and started to pad back to his herbs, but stopped short as he felt her mind flare with anger and heard her snarl -

"Nothing more, Jaypaw? _Nothing more?_ Why do you hate me so much?"

Jaypaw's eyes narrowed. "I don't hate you," He mewed back. "I just-"

"You just treat me like I'm a kit treading on your tail! Don't you see?" Her voice had become slightly louder, almost a yowl. "You've acted so cold to me, so cruel, and even though you were healing my leg you've been breaking me!"

Jaypaw's eyes were wide now. He turned around to face her, meowing, "Cinderpaw-"

"No! Jaypaw, you should have realized. I love you. You stole my heart... and have been ripping it to shreds."

The gray tom could only stand and stare stupidly. She... _loved _him? He thought a grouchy, temperamental tom like him couldn't love. But now that he thought of it... when he dreamed with Cinderpelt, he hadn't paid much attention to the mischievous sparkle in her sky blue eyes or the soft light which glowed on her dark gray fur. But now, this was how he pictured Cinderpaw - beautiful. Beautiful, in every way. Even if she could be an annoying furball, she was beautiful, and he loved her unlike any cat. Feeling his paws tingle, he padded forward and pressed his cheek against hers. A purr rumbled in her chest as he closed his eyes and murmured,

"Cinderpaw... I think love you too."

* * *

_  
This is the story of the boys who loved you  
This is the story of your red right ankle_

* * *

**Hope you liked it!**


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